first video of me on a slalom course

[KcSwerver]

here is the first time i was on the course at our club which we just joined. i had a great time this evening having fun and skiing and at the same time i learned alot it was great to be somewhere and have a few people put their ideas out for the taking it really helped. here is a video (one of the two succesfull passes that were caught on video) of me running 15 off at 32 MPH behind our new to us 1995 mastercraft Prostar 190 (this thing is sweet!)

 

i am on a 66.5 Goode 9900 sl Left with reflex front and RTP (I know the ski is a little big for me, as i am about 135 pounds as of nowbut it seems to be working fairly well) in about a week one of my ski buddies is going to help me readjust the fin, because i sure cant do it.

 

well here it is. i would love any help, critisism or pointers, anything you have to say is greatly appreciated, im just looking to improve!

 

 

Thanks

-Bryan Bailey

[KcSwerver]

[Than_Bogan]

Lot of good stuff going on there! Many folks at your stage look a LOT worse.

 

Focus for now should be all on body position, especially behind the boat. Improve your leverage a little and you'll be shortening the rope in no time flat.

[gregy]

Looks good. Body position like Than said. Try to let the hips come up to the handle and get stacked right out of the turn. Very good skiing, nice and smooth.

[MattP]

@KCSwerver Bryan there is some good advice above.

I will echo what @gregy said about getting your ski back under the line before getting back on the handle. Remember come off the handle slow and come back to it slow.

 

I would also focusing on standing with equal pressure on both your feet from get up to set down. Your video is 33 seconds long and you are in the course for 17.93 seconds at 32mph. That is 15.07 seconds that you were out of the couse (that was visible) standing on your ski. Use that time to practice a proper stance and getting balanced. If you are not using that time it is just a waste of gas.

Once you get up think about getting your weight forward by flexing your knees and ankles. Your front leg looks pretty straight from the time you get up until you enter the course. Your body will revert back to what it knows when it goes into panic or scrapping mode and at the current time is weight back and front leg straight. Train your body to have its panic reaction to be balanced and relaxed on your ski and that will take you a long way in the course.

I have spent hours on hours drilling from get up to pull out and exit to sit down.

 

Anyone who skis with me will say that I am a huge proponent of getting wide on the gates. Honestly you cant be to wide. An easier, less agressive and longer pull out will help you get wider easier and stand up slow into your glide. At 15off you should be looking down the 2,4,6 line at least 15 feet wide of the buoy line when you turn it!

 

Start there and post more video! We are here to help and want to see you progress this season!

[SkiJay]

I can't resist any longer @KcSwerver. Though technically possible, skiing "on" a slalom course sounds as odd as riding "on" a car. Normally, you'd ski in, through or even down a slalom course. I guess skiing on a slalom course sounds like you're running over every ball =)

 

Nice skiing btw. Clearly you're naturally athletic. Good advice above. I'd add that paying attention to how you are using your rear leg might help put you in the position @Than_Bogan and @MattP are describing. Rather than balancing on your rear leg, think of its job as being one of lifting your hips up and forward over your front foot. Your rear leg should feel nearly fully extended, especially on your off-side. The goal is to ALWAYS be balanced between your two feet, but from where you are currently, this equal balance will probably "feel" like you are balancing 80% of your weight on your front foot, and that you are using your rear leg to put you there.

[Horton]

Heck for having not run balls much before it looks pretty darn good.

[walleye]

This is the kid I posted about last summer. The title was a true sport story. He had everyone buying VHS Kris Lapoint video....as he said how he learned to ski. Brian first time thru the course in practice @ the tourney was just figuring gates and what balls were what first set. Second set starting getting into 28. Day of the tourney final round 2 @ 36 mph. I will never forget it.

 

@Brian the sun looks like you were there after 5....I am gonna confir with Luke and Emma about that:) just kidding nobody is ever there. Wally buoys looked good and your skiing. The jump was @ it's normal spot.....in the way waiting for more money. Some hippi going to the widespread concert ran into it with his 71 dodge van this weekend. He said he couldn't see it from the smoke so he let his dog out to take shit on our beach. Welcome to the club the Kan will make you a better skier......If you can run it at the Kan you can run it anywhere.

[KcSwerver]

Thanks @walleye it's great to hear from you! This year I decided to do away with longline and move to fifteen off. It may take me a while to get to 36 this year but I'm hoping to make it. As per your suggestion we looked and looked for a new ski and ended up buying a 9900 goode for under 450$ (we thought it was a good price) I havnt really figured it out completely yet but that is what skiing is for! Hope to see you at smithville this weekend!

[walleye]

@KcSwerver, Brian.......Joel sent out a e-mail today needing confirmation of who is coming so they can get teams lined up. This is a fun tourney with some head to head. Listen to the Gower boys where to start, or you will have a fin full of mud.

 

Just ride that Goode don't force it. Are you at factory specs....I would be that is a nice ski.

[KcSwerver]

I have no idea where I am on it besides bindings. I don't have means to measure the fun. The ski is a bit big for me but that's not really bothering me right now.

[Killer]

I wouldn't touch the fin, take the wing off if anything. It looks like the ski is working for you and you should have no problem skiing up to 36 and shortening the rope with your form, Looks really good. Dont be scared to challenge yourself, I see a lot of skiers who never drop passes off their repetoire as they advance, IE starting to ski into 22 or 28 off at full speed but still run an opener of 30, 32 and 34mph, making all of those fairly easily. You are going to have a difficult time getting anywhere in a set if you are running A. that many easy passes and B. passes where variables change so much. You want to nearly always run your opener, but after that you should challenge yourself. 6-8 passes doesn't give us a lot of time to work on things. Great skiing!

[KcSwerver]

@walleye could you respond for me and say I am attending? Our password on USAWS isn't working.

[walleye]

@KcSwerver.......Done

[walleye]

@KcSwerver......Just talked to Joel your in. ...don't know why if your not on my team. The cheez balls will be all mine. If your on the same team as that sand bagger Luke I am calling foul. The horses are rested and ready to run. I hope it's a 20 mph north wind I have been practicing behind a 30 foot bayliner:) Oh but your used big wakes behind that MC:) you are the only one at the Kan with a MC...just saying your either with me or again me this is a head to head toruney let the games begin:)